MLB Bullets changes the rules

Good morning. The big news was the rules changes for 2019 and 2020 announced on Thursday that Al has already covered here.

• The big change that everyone is talking about is the three-batter minimum for pitchers. Craig Calcaterra explains why it’s a great idea.
• Whereas Tom Verducci thinks the three-batter minimum is a huge mistake. He also offers his opinion on the other rules changes, which he’s mostly in favor of.
• Breaking the tie, Mike Petriello thinks that the three-batter minimum is a good idea, although he explains why it’s not nearly as big a deal as a lot of people think it will be.
• Bob Nightengale looks at the impact this rules change will have on (mostly) left-handed relief specialists. It’s all pretty much negative for those guys and Brian Duensing is not happy.
• Nightengale also loves the changes to the roster size and especially the September roster expansion change.
• Will Leitch looks at the reason behind the rules changes and asks how far should baseball bend to accommodate young people? Young people suck. I didn’t think that 25 years ago, but now I know better. (That’s a joke. I have to say that or someone won’t get it and get offended.)
• Jake Mintz has five “crazy” ideas for improving the Home Run Derby. More like “bad” ideas, but if he wants to call them crazy, fine. Maybe you’ll think differently.
• The Washington Nationals signed reliever Tony Sipp to a one-year deal and Dan Szymborski breaks down what the Nats can expect out of Sipp.
• Twins pitcher Jose Berrios turned down a long-term extension offer this winter. Teammates Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco both accepted extension offers from the Twins this winter.
• Jay Jaffe examines the Mets options as they try to pick a first baseman this Spring.
• Tim Brown looks at the Mets starting rotation, which is a lot better and has a lot fewer questions than their first base options.
• Michael Baumann writes about the Astros terrific pitching staff, which is as deep as it is talented, even with three starters from last year gone or injured.
• TIm Brown also talks with our favorite Cardinals player, Dexter Fowler, about his awful 2018 season and how he hopes for a comeback in 2019.
• David Laurila speaks with Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado about his approach to hitting.
• Jon Tayler speaks with Yasiel Puig about joining the Reds and how he doesn’t understand why the Dodgers dealt him, but he has no hard feelings.
• Eddie Matz writes that Nationals outfielder Juan Soto is ready to step in for the departed Bryce Harper as the wrecking crew in the Nats lineup.
• Jayson Stark writes about the plight of a ballplayer in his thirties in 2019, (The Athletic sub. req.) including snide remarks from Alexa, as Ian Kinsler has found out.
• To no one’s surprise, the White Sox sent outfielder Eloy Jimenez down to the minors.
• The Angels have shut down pitcher Andrew Heaney with elbow inflammation. The Angels say that they don’t think the injury will cause Heaney to miss significant time, but they don’t expect him back for Opening Day.
• And the Tigers have shut down pitcher Michael Fulmer not because he’s injured, but rather his mechanics are all messed up and they want him to work on it away from prying eyes.
• Baseball may be worried about it’s popularity in the US, but tickets to the Red Sox/Yankees game at London Stadium in the UK are a hot item. MLB plans to expand the seating for those games to allow for another 2500 tickets for each game.
• MLB Pipeline has one prospect from each team tearing it up this Spring Training. Jared Young is the candidate from the Cubs, and this was echoed in a Baseball America article that quotes a scout as saying Young has turned some heads (Baseball America sub. req.) this spring.
• Nationals closer Sean Doolittle has a photo diary of Spring Training.
• Former pitcher (and current Astros broadcaster) Steve Sparks talks about the day 25 years ago when he injured himself trying to tear a phone book.
• Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli got hit by a pitch by his former batterymate Juan Nicasio and started to charge the mound, before smiling and laughing with his good friend.
• And finally, Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon entertained his teammates by dancing around in Hunter Strickland’s uniform.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.